Book Review: The Next Wife

My sleep is all wonky still from having to stay up all night Sunday into Monday. Also, I'm not feeling great from my second Covid vaccine, which I knew would be a thing so I took extra of my steroid to hopefully get my immune system working but man alive... I'm not sure that plan worked. I thought for sure because I got so sick with the first one I'd be fine this time but WHOA. Not so much. Yay for a junky body! HA! 

The Next Wife - Kaira Rouda

Kate Nelson had it all. A flourishing company founded with her husband, John; a happy marriage; and a daughter, Ashlyn. The picture-perfect family. Until John left for another woman. Tish is half his age. Ambitious. She’s cultivated a friendship with Ashlyn. Tish believes she’s won.

She’s wrong.

Tish Nelson has it all. Youth, influence, a life of luxury, and a new husband. But the truth is, there’s a lot of baggage. Namely, his first wife—and suspicions of his infidelity. After all, that’s how she got John. Maybe it’s time for a romantic getaway, far from his vindictive ex. If Kate plans on getting John back, Tish is one step ahead of her.

She thinks.

But what happens next is something neither Kate nor Tish saw coming. As best-laid plans come undone, there’s no telling what a woman will do in the name of love—and revenge.

If you're a fan of true crime, you are going to love this tale. It's not a true story but man... it sure would be bananas if it was! 

What a book. You guys- if you need a twisty thriller that actually has some funny parts? Add this to your lineup. What the description of this book fails to point out is how much of a role the daughter, Ashlyn, plays and how she is just as devious as the two wives. This is like Real Housewives times ten, you guys. So we have Kate and Tish duking it out, let's throw in Ashlyn who is interning at the company John (the dad/husband/dirtbag) and Kate (wife #1) own and that Tish works at as well. They literally cannot get away from each other so to say this is a toxic whirlwind is an understatement. 

All of the characters are flawed and kind of awful and you're left wondering if any of them are going to get their act together. My only complaint is that you kind of know how this is going to play out well before the mid-point of the book and while that isn't the worst thing, I would have really like an outrageous turn of events at the end to turn everything on its heels. With such outlandish and crazy characters doing the most the entire way, I felt like we really needed to end with something crazy. 

I shouldn't say that, the ending was predictable but how we got there was kind of bananas. Once things started unraveling you really have to stick with it until the end because it really went quickly. 

Overall? I really liked this one. I needed a fast read because I've been in a bit of a reading slump so things just aren't holding my attention like I want them too, but this was fun and twisty. We're going to see this one all over bookstagram this summer and on top of people's TBR lists, guarantee it. 

Though it doesn't come out until 5/1/21, you can pre-order it now! A huge thank you to Thomas & Mercer for sending me a copy for review, I can't wait to read more of Kaira Rouda! 

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